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(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet .1.

G. F. ADAMS & J. s. LYNAM. RAILWAY SIGNAL.

No. 528,914.. Ifatented Nov. 13, 1894.

I, o 0 Q o L 1 1 r (No ModeL j 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

G. F. ADAMS & J: s. LYNAM. RAILWAY SIGNAL.

No. 528,914. Patented Nov. 13, 1894.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE F. ADAMS, OF NASHUA, NEw HAMPSHIRE, AND JOHN s. LYNAM, OF WINCHESTER, MASsAoHUSETTs, ASSIGNORS TO oHARLEs S. coL- LINS, OF NASHUA, NEW HAMPSHIRE.

RAILWAY-SIGNAL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 528,914, dated November 13, 1894. Application filed February 17,1894. Serial No. 500,552. (No model.) h

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, GEORGE F. ADAMS, residing at Nashua, in the county of Hillsborough and State of New Hampshire, and JOHN S. LYNAM, residing at Winchester, in the county of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, citizens of the United States, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Railway-Signals; and we do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

Our invention relates to improvements in railway signals and has more especially to do with signals operated in connection with switches and the objects of the invention are, to provide a signal for one or more switches and mechanism connecting each switch and its respective signal whereby the signal is automatically set at danger by the opening of said switch, also to provide mechanism for preventing the signal representing a given switch from being reset at safety until said switch is closed, and also for preventing more than one signal being at safety at the same time. We attain tnese objects by the devices described in the following specification and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which latter Figure 1. represents a top plan view of the devices embodying our invention, showing two switches and their signals one of said switches being open and its respective signal at danger. Fig. 2. representsa side elevation of the semaphore, draw bar operating slide, i'tsopcrating lever and semaphore operating draw bars, the switch bars being omitted. Fig. 3.

represents an end elevation, partly in section,

of the draw bar slide, draw bars and the switch bars; the latter being in the position that they assume when the switches are closed. Fig. 4. represents the same view with one of the switch bars beneath its respective draw bar, indicating that the switch is open. Fig. 5. represents an end elevation, partly in. section, of a modified form of the device provided with six draw bars and one notched switch bar connected to six difierent switches;

and Fig. 6. represents a top plan view of the devices shown in Fig. 5.

. A in the drawings, represents the base within which is movably mounted the draw bar operating slide B which in turn is adapted by means of apertures I) cut in its upper-surface to engage and operate draw bars 0 connected to the respective semaphores E, E.

The slide B is I-shaped in cross section and is mounted in a T slot in the base A so as to be capable of longitudinal movement to opcrate said draw bars but is prevented any vertical movement because of said T slot within which it moves.

A hand lever D adapted to be operated by the switchman is guided in its oscillations by a segmen tal guide D and is pivotally connected to the slide B by a rod (1 and thus upon the movement of said lever D either backward or forward the slide is actuated in the same direction. Upon the top of the slide is provided a stop bar b just in front of the aperture 1) and against which the draw bars C abut and their hook ends 0 are thereby caused to fall into the said apertures.

Guiding yokes f, one for each draw bar are provided upon the upper side of the slide B and in these guides the draw bars move backward and forward and up and down. Each bar is pivotally connected at its rear end to a spring restrained plunger rod H, said rod at its opposite end being connected by means of a wire or rope f to a semaphore E. These plunger rods are mounted in a yoke I, the upturned arms of which are apertured to allow said plunger rods to slide longitudinally therein. Each rod H is provided with an annular shoulder or enlargement h, and a spiral spring J is placed about the rod and bears against this shoulder and one of the arms of the yoke I and the draw bars connected to said plungers are thus drawn backward and.- the semaphores connected thereto allowed to rise to danger when said bars are disengaged from the slide. Any other suitable devices for causing this action may be employed; This disengagement of the rods from the apertures in the slide is accomplished by means of bevel ended rods K, K, each connected to a switch L, L and adapted to be automatically thrust beneath its respective draw bar to raise it out of engagement with the slide B, upon the switch connected thereto being opened. Any other suitable device for raising the bars may be employed. The ends of these thrust rods are mounted in apertured guiding yokes F so as to be guided to thrust directly beneath the draw bars when they are operated and thereby raise the same out of engagement with slide B and allow the semaphore or semaphores to rise to danger. 'lo reset the semaphore at safety the slide B is pushed forward by moving the lever D forward, and the hook or hooks of the semaphores at danger, enter their respective apertures in the slide and upon the reverse movement of the latter the semaphores are drawn down to safety.

Each of the draw bars 0 is connected to a separate semaphore so that the condition of each separate switch is indicated by its individual semaphore.

Each of the thrust rods K, K is connected to the thrust rod M of its respective switch by means of hell crank levers m and connecting rods m; suitable switch operating mechanism being used.

It will be seen from the foregoing that each switch has its own independently operated semaphore.

Fig. 5 shows a modified form of the invention in which six draw bars C are used and only one thrust rod K, the latter being connected to six diiferent switches by any suitable system of levers and being provided with a single notch it into which any one of the draw bars is adapted to fall and thus engage the slide and draw the semaphore connected thereto to safety, thus indicating that the particular switch represented by that semaphore is closed.

If all the switches are at danger or not in the desired connection with the line the rod K will be so moved by its connection with said switches that none of the draw bars will register with the notch 7.: and therefore all the semaphores will be at danger and none of them can be drawn to safety until the switch is closed and then only one switch can be at safety at the same time. This form of our invention is only used when it is desired to have one switch only out of a series of switches in safe communication with the main line.

A weighted signal or any other suitable device may be substituted for the springs J for withdrawing the draw bars 0 after they have been released from the slide B by the lever K.

What we claim as our invention is 1. In a railway signal the combination of a draw bar operating slide, means for actuating the same, draw bars adapted to engage said slide and each operating independent semaphores and means connected to switches and adapted to force said draw bars out of engagement with said slide to allow the semaphores connected thereto to rise to danger, substantially as described.

2. In a railway signal the combination of a draw bar operating slide provided with engaging apertures and guiding yokes for draw bars, means for actuating said slide, spring restrained draw bars adapted to engage said slide and each operating independent semaphores, and means connected to switches and adapted to force said draw bars out of en gagement with said slide to allow the semaphores connected thereto to rise to danger,substantially as described.

3. In a railway signal the combination of a draw bar operating slide provided with engaging apertures, stops and guiding yokes for draw bars, an oscillating lever and connections for operating said slide, spring restrained draw bars adapted to engage said slide and each operating independent semaphores, and means connected to switches and adapted to force said draw bars out of engagement with the slide to allow the semaphores connected thereto to rise to danger, substantially as described.

4. In a railway signal the combination of a draw bar operating slide provided with a draw bar engaging aperture and a stop, means for operating said slide, a spring restrained draw bar provided with a hook for engaging the slide and connected to a semaphore, a bevel ended thrust rod connected to a switch and which is adapted to be thrust automatically beneath the draw bar by the opening of the switch and thereby disengage said bar from the slide, substantially as described.

5. In a railway signal the combination of a draw bar operating slide, means for actuating the same, draw bars adapted to engage said slide and each operating independent semaphores, means connected to switches and adapted to force said draw bars out of engagement with said slide to allow the semaphores connected thereto to rise to danger and means for actuating said draw bars to move them backward when released from the slide, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof we hereunto affix our signatures in presence of witnesses.

GEORGE F. ADAMS. JOHN S. LYNAM.

Witnesses as to the signature of George F. Adams:

EMMA M. ADAMS, E. L. ADAMS. Witnesses as to the signature of John S. Lynam:

F. E. PECKHAM, IRA F. HARRIS.

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